


The Gay Ear

by LadySerendipitous



Series: Révéler Moi [22]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal, If you squint there’s a date, Was suppose to be crack, turned into a legit ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 00:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13178757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySerendipitous/pseuds/LadySerendipitous
Summary: There was only one thing stopping them from switching Miraculouses and Adrien was willing to go through with a plan to fix that.





	The Gay Ear

It did not start when Adrien typed into the search bar ‘which is the gay ear’ though it could have been. Adrien very well knew no one cared about what side guys pierced their ears any longer, but since he chose to do so, he decided that he wanted to make a very subtle statement with it. Granted he was bisexual and not gay, but that was pretty much semantics since back in his father’s day the opposite ear would be the ‘straight’ ear. Thus Adrien did the search.

He found a lot of anecdotal stories, mostly from Americans. It wasn’t long though before he got his answer. He’d be getting his right ear pierced, but he didn’t know that when he brought it up to his friends.

It did not start when Adrien was sitting at his shared desk with Nino before class. He did not bring up the subject on a whim though he tried to play it off as one. “So I was sorta thinking I might want a piercing.”

While the comment had been to Nino, it had caused the quiet conversation between Alya and Marinette to halt since they heard his statement clearly. Adrien leaned back and glanced at the two girls even as Nino voiced his opinion. "You know your father is going to flip, right?"

Adrien shrugged. "Probably, but it's not like he doesn't find a reason at least once a week to worry that he should have me locked away once more."

"That man needs to learn to chill," Nino muttered softly.

"What... what kind of piercing are you thinking about?" Marinette asked him, eyeing him up and down. Probably to try to figure it out before he spoke.

"Nothing too crazy," Adrien said and then he touched the lobes of his ears. "I was thinking ear piercings."

"You know, if you want to go to a reputable place, I know Juleka has a place she recommends. I think it's inside a tattoo parlor," Alya chimed in. "In fact, Marinette, weren't you talking about wanting to get a second piercing?"

There was a soft 'meep' that came from Alya's best friend as she turned and looked at her. "I was."

Adrien leaned on the girls' table. "Do you want to go get piercings together Marinette?"

Marinette nodded and Adrien couldn't be happier. He'd be getting his ear pierced at the same time as one of his best friends, not that he knew that when the idea first came to mind.

It started on a regular patrol. It was a starless evening as he and Ladybug jumped from rooftop to monument on a route made partly by planning and partly by impulse. No two nights were ever the same, but there was still a certain routine to it all.

"You know my Lady, we're a nearly flawless team," he told her as they landed together on Arc de Triomphe.

"Oh you think so?" She asked, a smirk on her lips and hands on her hips as she tilted her head and glanced at him.

"You don't think so?" Chat Noir asked, honestly curious to her thoughts.

"Don't get me wrong, we do work well together. I couldn't imagine a better partnership." He couldn't help but preen at that even as she continued. "I just know we can do better!"

"Hmm, I mean, we'll always get better as we work together, but other than telepathy or switching Miraculous I don't see how we can get that much better on our own." Chat Noir shrugged at his throw away idea not thinking too much of it.

There was a calculating look on her face, one Chat Noir absolutely loved. "That could work...."

"Telepathy?" He asked, confusion most likely written all over his face.

At that Ladybug laughed. "No silly kitty. Trading Miraculous."

"Really? You'd want to?" Chat Noir, despite it being sorta his idea, was shocked.

"Yes, I think if we got a chance to try out each other's abilities in a safe environment we'd learn a lot," she told him, putting a hand on his arm.

"Let's do it right now then!" Chat Noir was excited. Nothing would beat BEING Chat Noir, but to experience what it was like to be in his partner's shoes, suit, whatever, was very appealing.

Ladybug laughed again. "We can't."

"Why not," he asked instantly disappointed, his tail and cat ears drooping.

"Because," and she reached over, running a hand through some of his hair until his human ear was exposed. She then lightly tugged on the lobe of the ear. "I don't think you could wear mine."

It took him more time than he would have liked to admit to get what she meant as her touch had seemed to scorch his skin. Not that she had any clue the effect she had on him at times like this. "Oh... oh, well... I can fix that!"

And so it was that Adrien was going to get his ear pierced for his lady!

It was after school on Wednesday that Adrien and Marinette took the Metro and walked to Octopus Garden, the tattoo parlor recommended by Juleka that also housed an accessory shop for any and every type of piercing. Adrien had never been to a tattoo parlor before and was trying very hard not to gawk. There was so much art!

Not classical art to be sure, but art nonetheless. He pointed out part of the cement wall painted in red with bold black lines. “Wow, look at that Marinette.”

“It’s like graffiti art, but on the inside,” Marinette said after slowly looking at the whole of the wall. Adrien imagined she was taking in everything around them in a much more thoughtful way than he was. This place was surely inspiring her. He wondered if he’d ever get to see the fruit of this afternoon in a design of hers.

Their musings were interrupted when a middle aged woman with short hair and a tank top to show off her sleeves came up to them asking if they had an appointment. Fortunately Juleka suggested they make one, even though piercings didn’t take a lot of time. It gave the employees that worked with the accessories portion the shop a chance to set up before hand.

The woman showed them to the earrings that were for new piercings. Adrien didn't realize you couldn't wear just any earring, but didn't say anything about it as he looked at the various studs that were his options. He turned to look at Marinette. "What are you getting?"

Marinette seemed startled by the question but then pointed out a pair of studs with green gems set in silver.

"I would have thought you'd get pink, or maybe red," Adrien admits.

"W-well, sometimes it's good to get outside of your comfort zone," she said, her cheeks pink. "And I very much like green."

"Outside your comfort zone, hm?" Adrien looked back at the options. The decision to do this was a bit outside his comfort zone already. Not that he wasn't excited, but it was an equal amount of rebellion as it was a serious cause. He had thought about getting something simple, like gold studs, but Marinette had inspired him and when he caught sight of a pair of blue studs that reminded him of his lady's eyes, he knew exactly what he wanted.

They were lead to an area of the shop where there was a chair and an assortment of objects that Adrien assumed was used for piercings and stuff. A pair of objects though were confusing to him. "Are those bears dressed up as Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

The woman nodded and walked over to them. "Meet LadyBear and Chat Ours."

Marinette giggled and Adrien couldn't help but grin brightly. It was so cute and clever. "Why do you have bears though?"

"Ah, sometimes our clients like to hold something for comfort when they get a piercing," the woman explained. "So which of you is first?"

Adrien fidgeted slightly, this was the moment of truth. Before he could say anything though, Marinette's voice broke through his thoughts. While she was talking to the woman, she was looking at him. "I'll go first. It's been a while, but I've done this before."

Marinette was a good friend.

"Very well," the woman said as she took the packet from Marinette. "Pick out a bear and then sit down."

Adrien was sure Marinette would choose the LadyBear, after all her best friend ran the Ladyblog. The amount of pleasure he got when she chose Chat Ours was ridiculous, but he couldn't help it. Those few interactions she had with his alternative persona really did leave an impression. He couldn't help but to be pleased.

It did not take long for the woman to line up marks on Marinette's ears and then to actually pierce them. Adrien noticed Marinette squeeze the bear when the piercing gun went off, but otherwise didn't seem worse for wear. Once she was jumping off the chair she was wearing a pretty pair of green earrings above the black earrings she always wore.

"It looks good," he told Marinette with a big grin and giving her a thumbs up. She smiled up at him happily and gave him her thanks before going to the mirror to check out her earrings once more.

"Your turn," the woman said to Adrien.

This was it. Time to get a piercing. Well, two. Taking the LadyBear, he sat in the chair while the woman confirmed where he wanted two piercings on his right ear. There was a countdown then the sound of the piercing gun, along with the pain. Honestly the sound was worse than the pain, though his ear did throb. After the second piercing, above the first was finished, Adrien let go of the death grip he had on the bear and took the offered mirror to look a the finished product. 

“How do I look?” Adrien asked as he lowered the hand mirror to look at Marinette. 

“Gorgeous, I mean cool, I mean, um, yeah… yeah the earrings look good.” And though her cheeks were pink, the smile she gave him set Adrien for the rest of the day. 

Adrien knew he would need that deep seated feeling of wellness when he got home after he and Marinette went their separate ways. Adrien had taken her for ice cream after they’d gotten their new piercings and it gave Adrien a chance to double check with Marinette he understood all the care instructions. He was glad she was so patient with him and he was really glad she’d gone with him. He couldn’t have imagined doing it on his own. Not because it was hard, but because it was a momentous occasion and someone ought to have shared it with him. 

When his father did notice it was nearly two days later. Adrien was upset over that fact and surprised himself when he cut off his father’s tirad to mention it. It wasn’t the first time Gabriel Agreste didn’t notice something about his son. The emotional sucker punch gave Adrien the chance to point out how little this ‘ruined’ his image, point out for the next 8 weeks the very professional and high paid photographers could find angles that didn’t let the earrings show, point out photoshop was a thing used in every photo, and point out the earrings made him happy. 

With that finally said Adrien left the company of his father. 

That was also the night he saw Ladybug next. They’d had three akuma battles since the discussion about switching Miraculous lead to his decision to get his ear pierced, but this was going to be the first time she’d seen him since he got it done. 

When he landed on the roof that his lady was on, not for the first time he was struck by the image of her standing against the backdrop of Paris’s glowing nighttime cityscape. “Hello my Lady. What a lovely evening, don’t you think?”

“Evening Kitty,” she greeted as she turned to look at him. There was something different and Chat Noir noticed it almost right away. It was Ladybug’s hairstyle. While it was still in her signature pigtails, there were strands now curling at the edge of her face, covering her ears slightly. It was, like just about everything to do with Ladybug, cute. 

“I see we’re both doing something different with our style,” Chat Noir nearly purred as he came over to her side. 

Ladybug looked him up and down then tilted her head. “I don’t see it, unless you’re using new mousse in your hair.”

“It’s not my hair, but what’s hidden there.” Very proudly Chat Noir moved the hair on his right exposing his ear and the two glittering pieces of jewelry there. 

He expected a comment; a complement perhaps or a joking remark. He did not expect her eyes to go wide as she looked at his new piercings, to his face, and back again. What was wrong? Did she hate the earrings? Had he somehow mortally offended her with the color?

“Adrien!” The shriek caused his flattened cat ears to go straight up in panic. “I should have never….” and the rest of what she said was going too fast for Chat Noir to keep up. He thought he caught the name of her kwami, but he would have sworn he caught the name of his best friend too. He definitely heard the word piercing several times. She was gesturing wildly and honestly he couldn’t remember her ever being this wound up. Trying to keep up with her words made him temporarily forget that she’d said his civilian name. 

“Ladybug, my Lady, take a deep breath. Talk to me please?” Chat Noir asked in desperation. 

Fortunately she paused in her ranting and then pushed back the hair that was over her ears. Cutely placed above her Miraculous were pretty new earrings the same color as the one that he’d seen picked out by… “Marinette!”

**Author's Note:**

> I might have to bring back the hero bears again.


End file.
